Once again, City Hall is abuzz with anticipation as new artwork arrives for the People's Gallery exhibition! This year's show will display artwork from 150 local artists and organizations, including sculpture, photography, painting, and fiber works. Last year's Opening Reception attracted a record crowd of 900 visitors, and we hope to top it this year! As an added bonus to the evening, we will also be holding a premiere screening of local short films selected for the Faces of Austin multimedia program. CAD staff has been working hard to prepare the exhibit and reception, and we hope you will join us for a celebration of Austin's wealth of creative talents. More information is included below.

This month also marks the beginning of the 2010 Take it to the Next Level series of workshops for creatives. In the next few weeks we will host three workshops for non-profits and artists and co-present a speaker event at UT. This year, we are expanding our workshop and speaker event offerings, as well as holding discussion salons, webinars, and two symposiums. A full schedule is forthcoming, so keep your eye on this newsletter for updates!

I hope to see you at one of our upcoming events!

Sincerely,

Vincent E. Kitch
Cultural Arts Program Manager

IN THIS ISSUE
FEBRUARY 11, 2010

CAD News

Austin Arts Commission

Local News

State News

National News

Quick Links

OPENING RECEPTION FEB.19!

The People's Gallery

Faces of Austin

NEXT LEVEL WORKSHOPS

Federal Tax Overview for Artists

Establishing a Texas Non-Profit

Federal Tax Overview for Arts Orgs.

CADNewsCultural Arts Division News

The People's Gallery
Join us for the People's Gallery 2010 Opening Reception and Faces of Austin Premiere!
When: Friday, February 19, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Austin City Hall (301 W. 2nd Street)
Come celebrate Austin's creative talent! The annual People's Gallery exhibition features visual art on loan from Austin area artists, galleries, museums, and art organizations, displayed throughout the first three floors of City Hall. Please join the artists and City staff at this opening reception and be among the first to see the wonderful art on display. The "People's Choice" from Image: Faces of Austin multimedia projectthe 2009 Exhibition will also be announced at this time.
During the reception, you can watch the short films selected for Faces of Austin, in City Council Chambers. Faces of Austin showcases films about Austin, by Austin filmmakers. After the premiere, the films will be availble to view on-demand on the video screens in the City Hall Atrium, as well as on Channel 6.
Refreshments will be provided by Whole Foods Market and parking is free in the City Hall garage (bring your parking ticket inside for validation).

Surviving and Thriving at the Walnut Street Theatre: A Conversation With Bernard Havard
When: Monday, February 15 at 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Where: University of Texas, Winship Building Rm 2.112 (23rd St. & San Jacinto)
Recognized as one of America's leading theatre producers, Bernard Havard is the President and Producing Artistic Director of the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. Walnut Street Theatre boasts a subscription base of 57,000 patrons. Bernard has spent his life in theatre as an actor, stage manager, director, managing director, and producer and has been an active participant in the cultural scene of Philadelphia and beyond.
Havard will provide his years of perspective on topics including but not limited to building an audience, unified arts funding, cultural alliances, and weathering difficult economic times. Audience questions will be encouraged and guide the discussion!
FREE PARKING is available at the San Jacinto Garage located on San Jacinto just south of Dean Keeton. Bring your parking garage ticket inside to get it validated. A map and directions are available here.
This opportunity is made possible through a collaboration between the University of Texas College of Fine Arts and the Cultural Arts Division/Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office of the City of Austin.

NEW! Take it to the Next Level Workshops
"Federal Tax Overview for Individual Artists"
When: Thursday, February 18, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Where: Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room
This workshop will focus on the tax obligations of self-employed artists. We will cover tax issues on the local, state, and federal levels, so that individual artists can be in compliance with the applicable laws. A focus on deductible expenses and record-keeping tips will help individual artists take the deductions they are entitled to while maintaining the documentation to support his or her tax return. Artists will leave the workshop not only with information on their tax obligations and reporting requirements, but also with information on the business development resources available to them in the Austin area.
Instructor: Andrea Beleno / Texas Community Building with Attorney Resources (Texas C-BAR) (sponsored by Texas ReoGrande Legal Aid)
Register Now! http://taxesforartists.eventbrite.com

"Federal Tax Overview for Non-Profit Arts and Culture Organizations"
When: Tuesday, March 9, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Where: Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room
This session will provide an overview of federal tax issues that affect 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. Our discussion topics will include approaches to the redesigned Form 990, with a focus on the IRS' inquiry into good governance practices; conflict of interest and executive compensation. We will also cover issues an organization should consider when undertaking an expansion or reduction of program services.
Instructor: Frances Leos Martinez / Texas Community Building with Attorney Resources (Texas C-BAR) (sponsored by Texas ReoGrande Legal Aid)
Register Now! http://taxesforartsorgs.eventbrite.com

Cultural Funding Guidelines Changes for FY 2011
At the December Arts Commission meeting, the Commission approved revisions to the Core Programs guidelines. Revisions will be forwarded to Council for adoption at an upcoming meeting.
Among the notable changes:
Eligibility Changes
- Sponsored groups must be incorporated in the State of Texas as a non-profit organization.
On this site, you will find the required form (Form 202), instructions for filing, fee schedule, and FAQs. The fee for filing is $25.
Link to Secretary of State: www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/nonprofit_org.shtml

- Print and Broadcast Media organizations may only apply in Project Support II.

Limitations on use of funds
- Purchase of computer software/hardware is not allowed in any program.

A full list of guidelines changes can be found on the Cultural Funding website. Please contact Barbara Sparks or Jesús Pantel with any questions.

AIPP Project Installed in 2ND Street District
Image: "La Fuente en Calle Segundo"Art in Public Places, as part of the Second Street District Streetscape Improvement Project, commissioned artists to create a series of sculptural environments, called The Springs Project, that include water features and seating elements. The theme focuses on Austin's unique hydrology and geology, and responds to the influence of the Edwards Aquifer and the area rivers (after which the north/south intersecting streets have been named). La Fuente en Calle Segundo is the first piece to be installed as part of this series.
Designed and fabricated by the artist team of Roger Colombik & Jerolyn Bahm-Colombik, La Fuente en Calle Segundo is a permanent, site-specific sculpture located on the north side of 2nd Street near the corner of San Antonio Street. The sculpture is intended to serve as an elegant and meditative work for the patrons of the Second Street District and the neighborhood residents. Designed as a sculptural fountain, the work features graceful, sweeping forms in bronze that intersect with and suspend a bronze vessel. The vessel serves as a fountain collecting pool that releases water across the front lip, cascading to the ground. The water passed through a steel grate mounted flush with the walkway surface. A custom designed seating element is permanently anchored in front of the fountain.
Funding for the piece was provided by AMLI Residential, developer and manager of the AMLI on 2nd and AMLI Downtown mixed-use developments located in the 2nd Street District.

Austin Music Memorial 2010Austin Music Memorial Induction Ceremony Postponed
The induction celebration for the 2010 Austin Music Memorial honorees has been postponed to a later date still to be determined. The event was originally scheduled to take place March 28 at the Long Center. The commerative plaques of previous inductees can be viewed on the Long Center City Terrace 24 hours a day, seven days a week. www.ci.austin.tx.us/music/memorial.htm

AACAustin Arts Commission

The Austin Arts Commission met February 8. The Commission voted to approve the final design for the Susanna Dickinson House Art in Public Places Project. Artists Lizzie Martinez and Hawkeye Glenn were selected in June 2009 to design and fabricate a courtyard which will connect the historic Susanna Dickinson House and O. Henry Museums (5th and Neches). Their final design for the courtyard includes three large stones inscribed with a memory from Dickinson's life, an excerpt from an O. Henry story, and a Native American prayer.

The next meeting will be March 15.

The Austin Arts Commission meets the third Monday of each month in the City Council Chambers, Austin City Hall, at 5:30 p.m. The Commission encourages citizens' communications at each meeting. If you would like to schedule a briefing to the commission please contact Cultural Arts Program Manager, Vincent E. Kitch, at Vincent.kitch@ci.austin.tx.us or by telephone at 974-9310.

LocalArtNewsLocal Arts and Creative Industries News

Image: Imagine Austin MEETINGinaBOX
Industry leaders speak up about future city planning
The Daily Texan, 1/26/10
An outspoken group of leaders in Austin's cultural and arts industries met to offer their voices to the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, a city program seeking input on what Austin should look like in 5, 10, and 25 years.
Full article: http://tinyurl.com/yfx2z49

Kennedy Center brings documentary program to Austin middle school
On December 17, 2009, Hill Country Middle School, Eanes I.S.D. (HCMS) was selected as one of ten schools in the United States to participate in On Location: Spotlight On Your Community, a program produced by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The On Location program was designed to allow students the opportunity to produce a documentary telling the story of an arts organization or artist in their community. A customized Thomas Built Bus was converted to a media studio on wheels and will visit each school for three weeks. Two media teaching artists will work with the students on storytelling techniques and media skills.
HCMS selected DA! Theatre Collective, the recent recipient of the Best of Austin Award for "Best Non-Profit Upstart", as their subject for this project. The documentary will be filmed at DA! Theatre Collective's sponsor theatre, Hyde Park Theatre (511 W. 43rd Street). The program began in Austin on January 25 and will continue until February 10, 2010.
The completed videos will be uploaded to the onlocationproject.org website maintained by the Kennedy Center and shared around the world. HCMS will receive media equipment, $1,000 for ongoing media projects, curriculum materials, and an ongoing relationship with the Kennedy Center.

Image: Totally Cool Totally ArtTotally Cool Totally Art exhibition begins February 11th
The Austin Parks and Recreation Cultural Affairs Division invites you to attend its annual Totally Cool, Totally Art Exhibition displayed at the Mexic-Arte Museum (419 Congress St).
The exhibit runs February 11 - 24, with an opening reception on February 11 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. The exhibition will feature works done by youth in grades 6 - 12 spanning a wide variety of media, including painting, drawing, fashion, film, dance, and sculpture.
Since 1996, the program has served as a creative outlet for self-expression and encourages healthy camaraderie for teens during high-risk hours after school. One of this year's participants stated, "The thing I like best about the TCTA program is the ability to express myself creatively in a fun environment."
For additional information, visit http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/tcta/default.htm.

Free Career Development Workshop for Dancers
On Saturday, March 6th, Career Transition For Dancers will be traveling to Austin to present a Career Development Workshop free of charge to all current and former professional dancers, as well as pre-professional dancers. The workshop will be held at the Ballet Austin Butler Dance Education Center (501 W. 3rd St.).
Career Transition for Dancers is a non-profit organization that enables dancers to define their career possibilities and develop the skills necessary to excel in a variety of disciplines. Each year they take the organization's programs and services on the road to cities with a significant dance presence. These two-day seminars introduce dancers around the country to the organization's signature counseling methodology so they can begin developing their careers while they are still performing.
Reservations are required. For more information or to reserve a place, call Kaylen Ratto at 212-764-0172 ext. 0172 or e-mail nationaloutreach@careertransition.org.

San Antonio Arts Magnet School Saved for Another Year
San Antonio Express-News, 1/22/10
"The North East School of the Arts (NESA) will remain open for at least one more year, but officials say the program will be streamlined and no one knows what the future holds. Richard Middleton, North East Independent School District superintendent, met with NESA parents and assured them he'll recommend to the district's board of trustees that the magnet program stay in place for the 2010-2011 school year, albeit with cuts. Just last week, Middleton told trustees that he'd look closely at the popular magnet program, housed at Lee High School, and would come back with a recommendation February 1 that could range from severe cutbacks to shuttering the program. Students, parents, and supporters of fine arts from around the city flooded the district with phone calls. A Facebook group called Keep NESA Open created just days ago has more than 4,000 friends, even though the program serves only 262 students...Middleton encouraged the hundreds of NESA parents gathered in Lee's cafeteria to form committees and look into options such as fundraising and sponsorships...Whether NESA will remain open after next year hinges on the success of those ideas."
http://bit.ly/bNrtCA

Texas' oldest dance hall still the best
Austin Business Journal, 1/14/2010
Texas' oldest dance hall and live music venue has received some new recognition. Southern Living magazine readers recently recognized Gruene Hall as the "Best Dance Hall in Texas" in its January issue.
Gruene Hall, located 40 minutes outside of Austin in a wood-paneled 19th century building in New Braunfels, garnered the honor in the national publication's "Best of the South" round-up. But for Central Texans, the hall has long been a treasure.
"Our loyal patrons helped put Gruene Hall on the map," said Pat Molak, who has co-owned Gruene Hall since 1975.
Built in 1878, Gruene Hall bills itself as the state's oldest continually running dance hall, boasting live music seven days a week during the summer months and three-four days a week the rest of the year.
http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/st ... ily41.html

SAVE THE DATE: Linking the Arts in Texas
Date: April 16-17, 2010
Location: Houston, TX (Hyatt Regency Houston)
Local Host: Houston Arts Alliance
In March of 2009, discussion began about convening a statewide conference for non-profit arts administrators, executives, managers, and board leaders. The objective of convening is to strengthen relationships statewide, develop peer relationships, and share resources and strategies.
For more information, please contact Richard Graber at Richard@haatx.com or 713-527-9330.
Visit www.houstonartsalliance.com.

NationalNewsNational News

ARTS WATCH SPOTLIGHT

While Americans Seek European-Style Arts Funding, Europe Moves Toward U.S. Model
The New York Times, 1/21/10
"Last week the shadow culture secretary for Britain's Conservative Party Jeremy Hunt promised to introduce 'a U.S.-style culture of philanthropy' if the Tories come to power in the coming election. Speaking before the State of the Arts conference in London, Mr. Hunt foresaw a 'golden age' of tax breaks to encourage private donations and help cut back on government spending.
'I do believe in state funding,' he reassured his no doubt partly skeptical audience, 'but we are committed to a mixed-economy funding model for the arts.' He added that the party's shadow chancellor, George Osborne, agreed with him.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/arts/ ... broad.html

CULTURE AND COMMUINITIES

Creative Community Raising Funds for Haitian Earthquake Relief
Bloomberg.com, 1/16/10
"Mobilizing for Haitian earthquake relief, the U.S. arts and entertainment communities scheduled two major fundraisers for January 22. Hope for Haiti will be broadcast on CBS, ABC, NBC, HBO, and others and feature musical performances and celebrities in New York and Los Angeles. Actor George Clooney will co-host the commercial-free, two-hour telethon presented by Viacom's MTV Networks, along with Wyclef Jean, the Haitian-born singer, and CNN's Anderson Cooper. The same night, Washington, DC's Kennedy Center will donate proceeds from a National Symphony Orchestra concert. The nation's second-largest performing arts nonprofit by budget expects to raise about $100,000 in ticket sales for the Haiti Relief and Development Fund of the American Red Cross."
http://bit.ly/8I5w4n

Lincoln, Nebraska Considers Ordinance To Allow Neighborhood Intersection Artwork
The Lincoln City Council considered an ordinance Monday that would allow neighborhoods to paint residential street intersections if enough neighbors agree. Councilman Jonathan Cook proposed the legislation, modeled after a Portland, Ore., ordinance. Urban Development Director David Landis said "the artwork has a calming effect on traffic and is usually colorful and abstract -- the kind of art that makes sense to vehicles coming from any direction so as not to be a distraction. No words or gang symbols allowed." He said that "in the 15 years intersections have been painted in Portland, they've had no problem with the art causing car accidents or attracting vandalism.
http://tinyurl.com/yff2ggw

New York: Mayor Unveils Artful Design for Sidewalk Construction Protection
ArtDaily.org, 1/26/10
"New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Department of Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri, and President of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Anthony Schirripa unveiled a new design for sidewalk sheds-the wood and steel structures built to protect pedestrians walking alongside buildings under construction. The design of the city's sidewalk sheds has remained primarily unchanged since the 1950s and the new design will improve quality of life, reduce construction impacts on businesses, increase pedestrian safety, and increase available space for pedestrians on sidewalks. An international competition was held to challenge the design community to create a new standard of sidewalk shed. The competition winner, Urban Umbrella, was developed by Young-Hwan Choi, a 28-year-old student from the University of Pennsylvania."
http://bit.ly/dCrsbw

Georgia: Five Art Museums Combine Efforts to Share Resources, Collections
CoosaValleyNews.com, 1/25/10
"The High Museum of Art, in collaboration with four Georgia museums, has established the Georgia Art Museum Partnership initiative, the first of its kind in the state that will allow for the sharing of resources and collections among museums in Georgia and the Southeast. The five partnering museums are the High Museum of Art (Atlanta), the Albany Museum of Art, the Columbus Museum, the Telfair Museum of Art (Savannah), and the Georgia Museum of Art (Athens)...The partnering museums will not only draw on each other's resources for exhibitions and loans of individual objects, they will also participate in customized workshops."
http://bit.ly/aXDDVv

Wisconsin: Developer Makes Public Art a Priority in New Construction Project
Wisconsin State Journal, 1/22/10
"Developer Bob Blettner believes that the business parks he creates should evoke emotion and that the people who work there should be celebrated-through art. Not with just watercolors in an atrium or landscape prints in a conference room, but with big, bold, expressive sculptures. 'I wanted to use art, these life-size sculptures, to celebrate positive emotions that people tend to have when they're at certain physical spaces,' said Blettner, chief executive officer of the Blettner Group, which designs and builds business parks in the Upper Midwest. Now he wants to put a 10-foot bronze sculpture of a man chiseling himself out of stone in a public place...at the entrance to Blettner's Middleton Corporate Center business park."
http://bit.ly/ddd7Rs

ARTS EDUCATION AND THE CREATIVE WORKFORCE

Oklahoma Music Classes Not in Tune
The Oklahoman, 1/20/10
A report on music programs in Oklahoma public schools shows widespread access, but the types and number of courses vary greatly among districts.
State schools Superintendent Sandy Garrett said federal testing requirements have inadvertently taken some focus from arts education. She said districts could look at partnering to share teachers and resources. "All of us know the importance of the arts and creativity and music to a child's overall education," she said.
http://www.newsok.com/oklahoma-music-cl ... le/3433302

Why Berklee is teaching its students to compose scores for video games
The Boston Globe, 1/19/10
Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts has seen major growth in its composing music for video games curriculum over the past few years as the industry has grown to a $20 billion per year economic powerhouse. Berklee is one of a small number of schools offering training in the field and they are taking advantage of that. For this semester, the school is offering five classes in video game audio or game scoring and the typical student has knowledge of games as well as classroom experience in "sound production, voice acting, music technology, and film scoring." Already, three graduates from the school have gone on to make a mark on the industry.
http://tinyurl.com/yhvzxyq

Jazz Improvisation Study Findings Support Arguments for Music Education
Miller-McCune.com, 1/22/10
"New brain scan research, reported in the new issue of the journal NeuroImage, finds a scientific explanation for that quasi-mystical phenomenon [of jazz improvisation]...Researchers Aaron Berkowitz and Daniel Ansari studied the brains of 28 people as they improvised five-note melodies on a tiny keyboard. Thirteen were classically trained undergraduate pianists from the Dartmouth College music department. The other 15 were nonmusicians. 'The two groups showed significant differences in functional brain activity during improvisation,' the researchers report. 'Specifically, musicians deactivated the right temporoparietal junction during melodic improvisation, while nonmusicians showed no change in activity in this region.' This suggests trained musicians 'are entering a different state of attentional focus than nonmusicians as soon as they engage in even the simple act of playing, and that this effect is particularly heightened during melodic improvisation.' In other words, they effectively blocked out mental distractions, 'allowing for a more goal-directed performance state that aids in creative thought.' That ability to intensely focus has a variety of obvious benefits. Indeed, this study could be used as further evidence of the value of maintaining music education in the schools."
http://bit.ly/9lqdBv

Ovation TV Launching Arts Education Initiative
Broadcasting & Cable, 1/27/2010
Ovation TV, along with Cable in the Classroom and the New York City Department of Education's Office of Arts and Special Projects is launching a national arts education initiative, the channel announced (Jan. 27).
The network has engaged New York City art teachers in developing lessons and selecting programming clips from Ovation TV documentaries. They've also produced and aired a PSA about Cable in the Classroom's mission of fostering cable content and technology to enhance student learning.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/articl ... iative.php

PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS

Tennessee: Cultural Leaders Propose New City/County Arts Funding Mechanism
MetroPulse.com, 1/13/10
"In response to last year's funding crisis, Liza Zenni, executive director of the Arts and Culture Alliance, is working with Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam on a plan that would dedicate one cent of every $100 of property-tax revenue in the city and county toward the arts. No organization or individual artist would be guaranteed any money from year to year-they'd have to apply for any grants from the city and county. But the plan would establish a large source of money that would be available every year...As far as local arts initiatives go, it's small compared to some other cities. And, as Zenni points out, it's not new spending or a tax increase. But it's an ambitious plan around here, the first of its kind in Knoxville to essentially guarantee local arts-and-culture funding from one year to the next. Those guarantees, Zenni says, are essential not only to keep arts groups afloat financially but also to give them some measure of creative freedom."
http://bit.ly/8V49w8

Across the Country, Mixed Feelings on Film Production Tax Credits
Variety, 1/25/10
"Film production tax credits partially refund state taxes to filmmakers, luring them to areas in need of economic growth. Some have gone badly wrong, while almost identical programs have sparked urban renewal and generated good, much-needed jobs. Now, the recession has pressured many of the 40 states that offer them to revisit their incentive programs as lawmakers cut corners. Few have moved to dissolve them, but several officials fought hard to have their states' credits scaled down or eliminated last year. New York's program, which many other states have used as a model, has been expanded under then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer and pushed even further by his successor, David Paterson. It has attracted new biz to the state and beefed up a sector of the economy to help regain some of the tax revenue that bankrupt bankers were no longer paying."
http://bit.ly/amPgwC

THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Justice Department Approves Ticketmaster, Live Nation Merger
Los Angeles Times, 1/26/10
"Giving its blessing to a deal that could transform the music industry, the Justice Department on [January 25] approved the controversial merger of the nation's dominant ticket seller and the world's largest concert promoter-but only after extracting major concessions to address concerns that Ticketmaster and Live Nation would have a stranglehold on ticket sales. The merger, which was the first major review for Obama administration antitrust regulators, will create a goliath with hands in every pocket of the music business. The newly formed Live Nation Entertainment would have the ability to book concerts, sell tickets and merchandise, and manage artists all under one roof. But for the $889-million deal to proceed, the two companies agreed to the unusual step of creating a pair of rivals to ensure a competitive market for ticket sales, which has been one of the few bright spots for the ailing music industry."
http://bit.ly/anYK8h

Americans for the Arts Unveils First National Arts Index
Philanthropy News Digest, 1/22/10
"Due to losses in charitable giving and declining attendance at larger cultural institutions, the health and vitality of the arts in the United States was lower in 2008 than it was in 2003, a new report from Americans for the Arts finds. According to the National Arts Index, attendance at art museums decreased by 13 percent over that period, while audiences at popular music events were down by six percent. At the same time, the report found that from 1998-2008 there was a steady increase in the number of artists and arts organizations and in arts-related employment. Indeed, while attendance at arts events is shrinking, advances in technology are changing how Americans experience the arts."
http://bit.ly/ds1uqb

Innovative Free Video Website May Begin Charging Fees for TV Shows
Los Angeles Times, 1/21/10
"Hulu soared to popularity by offering free online viewing of popular television shows. Now that free ride may soon end. The internet video site is weighing plans to charge users to watch episodes of 30 Rock, Modern Family, and House. The move would mark a sharp change of course for the venture, which was launched nearly two years ago by a consortium of studios to distribute without charge TV shows and movies over the Internet. The site has spent months studying how to strike a balance between what people expect to watch free online and what they would be willing to pay for, said people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly. One plan being considered would allow users to view the five most recent episodes of TV shows free but would require a subscription of $4.99 a month to watch older episodes."
http://bit.ly/9MVD8d

Michigan: Detroit Arts Education Organization Receives $10,000 from the Obamas
Youth Today, 1/14/10
"When the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, an arts education organization, received a $10,000 personal check in the mail earlier this month with the names Barack and Michelle Obama printed across the top, the first thought from its CEO was 'this was too good to be true.' There was no accompanying note. No comment from the White House. Even the signature was illegible. But after founder and CEO Rick Sperling received confirmation from the bank that the account was valid-and the check was good-he finally believed the gift was from the president's family. He learned from the White House that his group was among a small group of nonprofits to which the Obamas chose to donate their money over the holidays. Mosaic, an ensemble of actors, singers and stage technicians established in 1992, still has no explanation of how it was chosen."
http://bit.ly/8tc7OU

THE ARTS IN RECESSION

The Revolution Will Be Locally Funded
Next American City, 1/13/10
Over the past decade, as the public has increasingly embraced the idea that food is best grown locally and sustainably, we've made the opposite assumption about our cultural institutions.
But now groups of artist-entrepreneurs around the country have begun extending the locavore idea to the realm of culture. "Could we take the tactics from sustainable food production and apply that to art production?" asks Jeff Hnilicka, cofounder of the Brooklyn organization FEAST, short for Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics.
http://americancity.org/daily/entry/1971/

United Kingdom: Recession Leaves Artists Working Day Jobs, Not Creating
The Guardian, 1/24/10
"Right now, the economic climate for artists in [Britain] looks particularly bleak. There's the innate financial ­instability of most artistic careers (low earnings, and sometimes none at all; little job security; no pension or other benefits), together with the recession. Then there's the fact that-­unlike some European and Scandinavian countries-the British government makes no ­specific social provision for artists, ­unless through the publicly funded ­regional arts councils. In Denmark, for instance, 275 artists are granted an annual stipend of ­between 15,000 and 149,000 Danish krone (£1,750 to £17,000) every year for the rest of their lives. In France, public funds are awarded through regional bodies not unlike our arts councils, ­except that the range of awards is much greater. Artists in the Ile-de-France ­region, which includes Paris, can, for instance, claim up to €7,500 (£6,545) specifically to equip their studios. But in this country, for artists without a lucky early break, rich parents or ­benefactors, a day job is often the only way to survive."
http://bit.ly/9DIWsV

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Kennedy Center's Changing Education Through the Arts Conference
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Arts will host a conference called "Arts Integration Schools: What, Why, and How," April 7-10, 2010 in Washington, DC. During the conference, the Kennedy Center will share a decade of its experience in 20 District of Columbia-area schools aimed at building a school-wide philosophy for and practice of arts integration. The program, Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA), is a school reform effort realized through ongoing, in-depth professional learning for teachers. For more information on the conference, and to register, please visit the Kennedy Center's website.

Nominations Open for THE BCA TEN 2010
If you know a business that has made exceptional investments in the arts, nominate it for THE BCA TEN: Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America. Anyone can nominate a business via the Americans for the Arts website. The awardees will be recognized at a gala celebration in New York City on November 4, 2010.

Alliance of Artists Communities Leadership Institute
Want to bust out of a rut? Care to imagine yourself in a different role? Looking for some new solutions to age-old challenges? Hoping to recommit yourself to your work in a new-and-improved way? Join the Alliance for the third biennial Leadership Institute-a four-day retreat for leadership development of arts administrators, in the idyllic setting of Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, FL, April 28-May 2, 2010. Be inspired. Be Challenged. Be the leader you've always hoped you'd be. Whether an executive director, program manager, or other staff, discover your own leadership style and build the confidence and skills to lead an organization that supports artists of any discipline. It's been a tough year, and we're all a bit beaten down. It's time for new energy, and a reinvestment in your organization's most valuable resource-you! For more information, visit the organization's website.

Arts Matter Video Contest
Americans for the Arts asks "Why do the arts matter to you?" with the announcement of the Arts Matter Video Contest in conjunction with AFTA's 50th Anniversary. Celebrate the arts in America by creating a video that tells "Why the Arts Matter to You." Research tells us that collectively, the arts are essential to a child's development, that they're an important part of our economy, that they improve the health and vitality of people and communities around the world. But we want to hear from you. Why are the arts are so important in your life?
You can submit your video between March 1 and April 15. The submissions will be previewed at the AFTA Half-Century Summit in June and the winners will be announced in October. Visit the contest website for more information.

Call for 2010 VSA arts Playwright Discovery Program Scripts
The VSA arts Playwright Discovery Program invites middle and high school students to take a closer look at the world around them, examine how disability affects their lives and the lives of others, and express their views through the art of playwriting. Playwrights may write from their own experience or about an experience in the life of another person or fictional character. Scripts can be comedies, dramas, or even musicals - be creative! Young playwrights with and without disabilities are encouraged to submit a script. Entries may be the work of an individual student or a collaboration by a group or class of students. The winning play will be professionally produced or staged at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The winning playwright receives $2,000 and a trip to Washington, DC, to see his or her play performed. All submissions must be received by April 15, 2010, for consideration. Visit http://www.vsarts.org/playwrightdiscovery for more information.

Call for Requests for Technical Assistance Missions
Culture in Development: an Inter-American Information Network
The Office of Education and Culture of the Organization of American States, is pleased to announce the "First Call for Requests for Technical Assistance Missions" of the new Cooperation Fund of the project "Culture in Development: an Inter-American Information Network." The deadline to receive requests is March 26, 2010. Interested parties should follow the application guidelines. For more information visit the OAS website or e-mail Mrs. Maria Paula Farfán.

NAAM Foundation Seeks Best Communities for Music Education
This year marks the NAMM Foundation's 11th annual Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) Survey, a nationwide search for communities whose programs exemplify a strong commitment to music education. Established in 1998, BCME recognizes and celebrates schools, their administrators, teachers, board members, parents, and students for their support and commitment to music education. The program also celebrates communities and schools that have set a goal to provide continuing music education to all students. The 2010 survey begins on Thursday, January 14, 2010, and will remain open through Friday, March 12, 2010. The survey can be completed by visiting the NAMM Foundation Web site at www.namm.org. Each school district or community is allowed to fill out one survey, and it must be completed by a school administrator and/or teacher who has access to school and district demographic and budgetary information. The announcement of the BCME final roster will be on May 3, 2010, a date that will commemorate Music Monday, a national celebration of music education and music making.